Friendship

The last couple of weeks have been a little traumatic to say the least. 

I’m not going to go into any detail at all here, it’s not the place and I think more than enough words have been wasted with the whole thing.  I can’t say I’m overly happy about the end result or some of what was said (by either party) - I think some of it was more than a little unfair but I’m not going to dwell on it.  I’d love to completely vent my spleen on here and get it all out in the open, but I’m better than that and I don’t think it’s fair - I’m not lowering myself to that.

It’s put a few things into perspective for me, made me question what friendship actually is, think about what I what I feel constitutes a good friend.

It also gave me a kick up the arse and do something I’ve been wanting to do for a good few months.  Way back when in April 2002 (thats getting on for seven and a half years ago) I started playing a little game called Jedi Knight 2.  It was my first proper online gaming experience, I met quite a few people and made some really good friends. 

We even formed a guild, Tie fighters.  We had a tag <-0-> (how cool is that?)  We also had variations, one of them being (-o-)

For one reason or another things came to a head with one of them last year, words were exchanged and we went our seperate ways.  I’ve always regretted what happened there.  One of the best friends I could ever wish for and we were no longer talking.  The events of yesterday made me send the email I’ve been meaning to send for the last couple of months and we’re now talking again - at least over email. 

I don’t know if we’ll be able to build up the same level of friendship as we had before but I’m going to try my hardest to make the best of it that I can.  He’ll probably read this at some point anyway :p 

Building bridges is the way forward.  Especially if you’re faced with an impassible chasm.  If you’re stuck in 1855 though and the bridge isn’t finished though, you should be able to use a train to push the delorean up to 88mph before the end of the bridge, arriving safely back in 1985. 

It’s not a case of lose a friend/gain a friend.  I don’t want the reaquantance with my <-0-> buddy to be cheapened by the way that sounds.  It’s just I know that losing a good friend hurts, a lot.  Life is just too short to make enemies, you need all the friends you can get. 

I can’t tell if that sounds anal or not.  Hopefully the general gist of what I’m trying to say will make sense though. 

So, Friendship.

I remember when they brought the friendship finishing moves into Mortal Kombat.  Rather than sticking your hand into someone’s chest and ripping out their still beating heart, you’d hand them a bunch of flowers.  Completely ruined the whole thing for me.  Friendship, pah!

I guess different people want different things out of friendship.  For me I guess the main thing is the companionship, the camaraderie.  I love talking to people, emailing, texting - its all good.  Anything that’s remotely intellectually stimulating.  It also helps if you’re interested in similar things.  There’s nothing better than discussing the latest episode of Top Gear or Doctor Who. 

Having someone to listen when you’re having a bad day, being there for someone when they’re having a rough time.  I think there’s a lot to be said for someone that can listen with an empathic ear.  Someone that can offer advice, make you feel better. 

I like to think I have some of those qualities.  Certainly the listening bits and pieces.  I can listen and quite often I try and offer help and advice when I can.  I’m not saying it’s the right advice, but I try my best :p

I mean, if we look back a few months - take Facebook as an example.  I had 250+ “friends”.  People I used to go to school with, people I’ve worked with, people I’ve met on nights out, people that I’ve met once or twice through other people. 

I decided to have a clear out.  The problem with Facebook is that people have a tendancy to collect friends.  I’ve now got 125 friends.  Notice the lack of “” there :p

There are still a few people I went to school with in my list.  When faced with the decision of who to keep and who to bin, I thought about whether or not I’d actually spoken to the person a) ever b) in the last 6 months.  The a’s were deleted straight away, the b’s were trimmed down over a few weeks. 

There are some lovely people that were in my list of “friends” (they’re back again).  It’s in no way a derogatory thing that they’re not in my list anymore - it’s just, what’s the point?  If we never really spoke much at school, we’re hardly going to be the best of friends now.  If you chat to me every now and again on Facebook or out and about then fine, we’re cool.  Just the whole collection thing really got on my wick. 

It’s like an e-penis.  Nobody cares how many friends you’ve got or how big your e-penis is.  Get. A. Life

‘epenis’ means electronic penis. It is a term that can refer to someones conputer skills or a measure of computer equipment / internet connection / technological prowness. It can be used to indicate that someone is l33t or technologically adapt. It can also be used as an insult, to imply that someone is a newbie or that their computer is lacking.

It was funny - I think I had two people re-add me as friends when they saw I wasn’t on their list any more.  I declined at first, I got another request - so I relented and added them.  They didn’t so much as say hello so a week later they were gone again.  I haven’t had another request since :p

I can’t remember what I was saying now, I went off on a tangent again.  Stupid brain.

Oh yeah, friends and stuff.

I can be a good friend, but I’m not perfect - it depends if you catch me on a bad day (the bad days are becoming rarer and rarer now thanks to most of the causes for my SAD symptoms being removed). 

All I can do is try my best, if that isn’t good enough for you then I’m sorry. 

The word count on this post is insane - over 1100 words.  That’s an essay.  Congratulations if you read all the way down to here!  You can have a cookie

Woohoo

Got a letter through from the Coventry Building Society today to inform me that since I’ve signed up to the new fixed rate deal, the Bank of England has dropped the interest rate by 1.5% (Everyone knows that).  They were writing to inform me that there were a couple of better deals they could now offer me. 

3 years fixed at 4.50%
5 years fixed at 4.99%

Decided to go for the 3 year fixed as it gives us a little more flexibility. 

What impressed me the most is that the Building Society actually got in touch to let me know there was a better product available, even though I’d signed up to the new deal (granted it doesn’t come into effect until 1st Jan).  Just really good customer service.  I had planned to give them a call in the next few weeks and ask them about better deals due to the rate cut.  Really glad that they saved me a job and made everything a lot easier. 

Turns out we’ll be paying a little less per month than we are now.  Bonus.

Looking for Inspiration

I didn’t leave work until 19:35 tonight.

I got there at around 07:45.  Just under 12 hours.

Thats crazy.

The problem is, we’re getting that many calls and tickets in at the moment that it’s just all mounting up.  Today was one of those days where you just don’t seem to make any headway.  I think I managed to get through more work from 17:00-19:35 than I did for the entire day.  Just the chance to work through without interruption means you can get so much done.  I’m quite pleased with the progress I made and hopefully now things will level off and we can get through the rest of the week.

It’s funny - my back was really uncomfortable last night, woke up and it was much the same, most of the morning it felt like it needed cracking (like knuckles).  It seems to have eased off after we went for a walk at lunch.

Think I’ve decided on a direction for the linux box.  I think I’m going to either register a new domain or set up an A record and MX record for a new subdomain on a domain and work through setting up a mail server with various bits and pieces.  Once that’s setup I’m going to look at some sql and php development.

In other news, I’ve installed the new beta 2 of Wordpress 2.7.  There are a bunch of changes to the back end and it looks really, really nice.  Awesome in fact.

There probably won’t be so many changes to the front end, maybe one or two new widgets but this is mainly a backend thing.  Really loving the new changes, it just looks so much more web 2.0 rather than the old fashioned interface.

I’m sleepy.

Life’s too short

It’s true.

It is.

I realised something today.  It’s quite interesting.

Before I started working at Hanson, I didn’t know what SAD was.  I used to love the Winter nights rolling in, they felt cosy.  You’d have the fire on, it was dark outside, the decent stuff was back on the TV after the Summer break (Noels House Party, Casualty - when it was good, etc).  Then I started working at Hanson, in the server room.

There was one main window which connected the room to a classroom that spent a good three years covered in paper displays.  The other two years it was covered in that frosted coating.  Didn’t let much light in.  Around the corner there was a single window that looked out onto an external area of the school, wasn’t very picturesque and we didn’t benefit from a lot of light from it.

With only having 30 mins for lunch and being surrounded by little (and large) monsters we didn’t get out for lunch much unless it was half term and we’d manage to get out to KFC and McDonalds which was nice.  Didn’t seem to make much of a difference though, the Winters would roll around and even with a 3:30 finish I struggled.

So now we’re fast approaching Winter - it’s dark before I’ve even nearly finished work, let alone before I’m out of the door.  I started to use the lightbox again a month or so ago, towards the end of August actually because we had such a crappy Summer.  It was making a bit of a difference but didn’t seem to be making as much of an impact as in previous years.

Fast forward a few months and I’ve now got a desk right next to a huge window, a massive one.  We’re going out for lunch every day due to a lack of onsite catering.  At first, the walk into town was a bit of a killer - its probably only a mile round trip, if that - but the hill from Dean Clough to the centre of Halifax is quite a steady gradient.  Was quite painful on the old calves.  Now we’re in town in less than 10 minutes and its easy peasy.

Quite fun actually, plus it means that pretty much anything is on the menu for lunch.  Be it KFC, McDonalds, Burger King or Subway.  Most of the time I’m ending up in Greggs - their Steak and crispy onion sandwich is to die for.  You don’t actually realise just how many shops are down there.  There’s a Woolworths, a WH Smiths, GAME, Gameplay.  Alsorts of places for me to spend money.  Which is fun.

There’s also a local supermarket - Sainsburys, which is a slightly closer walk than town (I think), there’s also a Tesco Express in town.  Given the choice, I think I’d rather go down and park up in the car park at work and walk into town than go shopping in Bradford.  Any day.

That’s sad, because I live in Bradford, even if it is a giant hole.  Most of the places I used to shop have gone.  To be fair, long before they stopped trading and got knocked down I didn’t go there.  It’s really not the sort of place you go once you can drive.  The White Rose Centre and The Trafford Centre are much more fun.

Actually, until I started at Frog, I hardly went shopping at all - save for going to supermarkets.  Everything is so much cheaper online.  I know the regular shops have wages and outlay and everything, but there are no crowds on the Internet either.  Crowds suck.  Big time.  Hate them.  There’s nothing worse than a busy supermarket, trying to roll a trolley down an aisle when you’ve got the world’s slowest walking person in front of you and inconsiderate people taking up the rest of the aisle with their trolley sideways.  It’s annoying.  One of my biggest bugbears ever.

Anyway, back on topic - I can’t remember what I was writing about **scrolls up**

Oh yeah, SAD.  So, I’ve got a big window, I’m getting tonnes of natural light, and I’m getting out and about during the day.  Big difference.  I haven’t used my lightbox for over a month.  And I’ve never felt better (except on the weekends, when new Xbox games come out and I don’t leave the house for 48 hours - but that’s another story).

Before Hanson, there was no SAD.  Now I’ve left, I’m pretty sure that the SAD is on it’s way out too.

I think that Sue working the last few Christmas’ days and to be honest the run up to Christmases has spoiled it for me too.  She’s got the whole of Xmas week off, and most of the week after too.  We’ll get to spend some time together and listen to Christmas music, watch some Christmas films.

I already started last week.  We watched Home Alone and Gremlins.  Classics.

Thats what Christmas is all about, spending some quality time with the people that you love.  The last few years I’ve not looked forward to it - I knew that Sue was working Christmas and it just took the shine off the whole thing for me.

I’m looking forward to Christmas, and I’m looking forward to the long Winter nights.  Bring em on.

So here’s a nice finish to this extra long post -

You only get one shot (unless you’re a follower in one of those religions that believes in reincarnation) at this life.  Make it your best one.  Live it to the full.  Don’t hold grudges (unless the person is a real arsehole ) and take every chance that you get.  You never know which day might be your last so live every one to the full.

Review — Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360)

I always planned to do some review writing once my blog was up and running properly.  It’s quite fortunate that I can write a review about a game I really like so soon after release.

I started out with the training missions, it’d been a while since I’d picked up a lancer (with built in chainsaw) and I needed to blow out the cobwebs before getting started online.  The training missions were excellent - showcasing the different multiplayer gamemodes whilst also allowing you to get to grips with some of the new features.

Completing the 5 training missions gives you an achievement (woot).

The campaign mode of the game starts off from pretty much where the first game left off, the Locust are moving forward at an increased rate - mounting massive assaults against entire cities.  I won’t spoil any of the key plot points, save to say that the entire game moves at a very good pace and it’s just like watching a really good film (movie, for the folks in the USA).  It’s like one of those books that you just can’t put down.

I powered through the campaign with my brother in less than 9 hours total playtime on casual difficulty - we’ll be going back and playing it on the harder modes over the coming weeks.  I wouldn’t say that I was disappointed with the length of the game, I know that as we up the difficulty it’s going to get harder to complete and the longevity with the first came with the multiplayer modes.

Speaking of which - the new ‘Horde’ gametype pits you and your friends (up to five of you) against an oncoming onslaught of locust scum.  After about wave 6 it starts getting hard.  Wave 10 is nigh on impossible if you don’t have the right sort of map with which to barracade yourselves in.  The good news with that is that it goes right the way up to 50 waves.  I can’t even begin to imagine how insane that will be with 5 people.  Tried it with 3 and it was very enjoyable.

Gears 2 is the first game in a long time that I’ve just wanted to play right the way through.  Sure Fable II and Fallout 3 are good and I’m enjoying them - it’s just Gears has that extra something for me, its difficult, it’s fun and its downright dirty.

It’s got extra gore and the chainsaw and other finishing moves add that extra umph to it.

All editions of the game come with a code for 5 extra maps from the original game that EPIC have reworked to add something extra.  The Collectors Edition comes with an Art book, bonus DVD and a gold plated lancer (ingame).

I did encounter a few problems when playing the game in co-op.  In one instance the game developed a glitch where the two main characters should have gone up in a lift together but one ended on the top floor and one ended on the floor below with no way to continue.  There was another glitch with a sealed room where JACK was supposed to cut throug an iron door - JACK disappeared and I had to restore the game from the checkpoint in order to progress.  Other than this, everything was fine.

The gameplay is much improved from the first game.  There was a repetitive feeling to the original game which had you running around all over the place with grubholes forming around every corner.  It’s refreshing to see that the game is different in that the different things you get to do (you’ll see when you get there) make it very fun to play.  Theres enough variation to make replaying the game through a pleasure.  It also didn’t feel as impossible as the first one tended to do in parts.

Summary:

Improves over the first game in every way.  Adds some impressive new features and I can see the multiplayer modes providing months of fun.

9/10

List of achievements for GoW2:

http://www.achieve360points.com/game/gearsofwar2/

Buy the game from amazon.co.uk::

Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360)

Gears Of War 2 Limited Collectors Edition (Xbox 360)